


everything stays

by mysterytwin



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Gen, I'm Sorry, Other Characters Are Mentioned, platonic love all around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 10:32:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7711618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterytwin/pseuds/mysterytwin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wished to be a hero, so that's what he was, and always will be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	everything stays

****

**in little ways, everything stays**

The sky cries with rain when the phone rings, announcing the death of a man who was loved by his family, even if they weren’t a lot. Somehow, no one saw it coming. There weren’t any signs, just one small nap that turned out to be an eternal one.

They’re told that he died with a small, satisfied smile, like he’d successfully escaped the law for the last time. The phone drops to the floor, and the twins set off the sleepy town they were scheduled to visit in two days. Who cares if they skip graduation? This matters more than anything else. 

The familiar edges of pine trees engulf them and they find a house ruined too many times to count, and they drag their feet on the porch. 

Everyone’s already there, sniffling and crying, and Soos — oh, poor Soos, who just lost the only fatherly figure in his life — is crying his eyes out, balling. Melody holds him back, wiping away her own tears and rubbing her husband's back. Wendy stands in the corner, greeting them when they come in. 

In a way, everyone parts to the side when the Mystery Twins come in. Everyone knows how much their grunkle loved them, and how much they loved him. There’s a curdled scream from the girl as she falls to her knees, with her brother supporting her. He cries, too. (Who doesn’t?)

It’s a depressing sight, and they’re both crying and it feels like there's nothing in the world that can make them feel better. Ford comes over, and hugs them, and there are tears in his eyes too. He has to be strong. For them. (But all he wishes is that it should've been him first instead. More people loved Stanley than him, anyway.)

The world’s crying for Stanley Pines, a man with a sarcastic smile and a big heart for his niece and nephew. Who only ever wanted to be a hero. 

His funeral is a week later and it’s decided that his body’s going to be buried instead of cremated. (He’s had too many incidents with fire, and how is he supposed to have a bigger tombstone that his brother if his ashes are in a jar?) Most of the town comes, and to Dipper and Mabel, it feels like a time five years ago when a wax figure had lost its head and they were sitting in the very same room. The difference is that now it’s all real. It doesn’t stop raining outside, which is odd because it’s summer, but it seems fitting, nonetheless. It feels like Weirdmageddon all over again, except their uncle isn’t there to save them from the absurdity of everything (of the fact that he’s actually _gone_ ).

Who’s going to keep teaching Dipper boxing lessons during secret midnight sessions? Who’s going to re-watch all fifteen seasons of Ducktective with Mabel? Who’s going to order Soos around even when he’s not the boss anymore? Who’s going to commit crimes with Wendy and know all the possible escape routes before they’re even running away? Who’s going to tease Ford about being so nerdy?

It all comes crashing down on both of the twins — things _do_ change, no matter how many longevity spells you cast or how many times you go back in time to change the outcomes of your mistakes, there’s no going back. Even if they struck a deal with Death — and they both know that that’s not a very wise choice, even when desperation seeps back into you — things wouldn’t change. They’d just be delaying the inevitable. Things change, summers end, and people leave.

Right above the coffin isn’t a picture of Stan. Rather, it’s the picture that Stan treasured the most: the twins, his brother, Soos, Wendy, and him, all sitting on the couch after the apocalypse. A family reunited and all bonds mended.

It comes to the point of eulogies, and Ford stumbles to the front, looking tired with puffy eyes. He’s been crying, too. “Stanley was the only person who outright told me that my six fingers were something that made me nerdier than I already was. He was right, I guess. For thirty years, I shut him out, then another ten years went by. I only ever said thank you to him once. The last five years of sailing around the world with him were the best times of my life,” he pauses, adjusting his glasses. They’re wet from tears. “Stanley Pines saved the world, not me. He does deserve a bigger tombstone than me, and I…I’m okay with that.” He walks back to his seat, eye lowered and back slouched. Nothing like the man who came through the portal, but a lot like a man who lost a brother.

Soos comes up. Everyone knows that this is going to sting a little. “Oh, man…” he starts, sniffling. “Mr. Pines…he was the greatest boss in the world. He took me in…cared about me, somethin’ my own father never did, and raised me like he was my real dad, even if he didn’t know it, y’know? The first greatest day of my life was when the dude took me in, all broken and amazed by this man who had the world wrapped around his fingers, always eleven steps ahead of the law. Second…second was when he…” Soos wipes a tear, his voice cracking. “I’m sorry. Uh, where was I? Oh, uh, when Mr. Pines told me I was the new Mr. Mystery, it sorta felt like I’d just eaten the best pizza in the entire galaxy. It was amazing. Third was when he gave me this piece of paper on my birthday three years ago. It…I thought it would be just some check of sorts ‘cause that’s what he usually gives me, but it wasn’t.” He smiles a little. “It was an adoption paper, and he told me…he told me that all I had to do was sign it, and Soos Ramirez would become Soos Pines. And I could start calling him dad. So, Dad, if you’re hearing me, I hope they have all the Pitt-Cola-spit-worthy stories up there for you.” With those last words, Soos leaves with a lighter heart in his chest.

Then it’s Dipper and Mabel’s turn. It feels like they’re about to give in into the weight of the world resting on their shoulders. The two hold hands; they give support to one another because they both needed it more than anyone. It’s Dipper who talks first. “Grunkle Stan…wasn’t the best grunkle in the world when we first met him. But I guess all it took was a fishing trip that went horribly wrong, an encounter with a demon in his mind, a dinosaur and pig-related incident, a roadtrip, and an apocalypse to make him the best relative we had. I think that we never really appreciated the guy and his pancakes enough. He was always there for us, and I…I don’t know what to do now he’s gone.” _He was supposed to be there at our graduation_ goes unsaid.

“There isn’t any other grunkle in this world that can beat Stan,” Mabel says, biting her lip. “He made sure we came back every summer, and we made sure he’d never celebrate another holiday alone. He cared about us, and we knew it, even if he didn’t show it that much. He admired my caticatures and my humancaticatures when no one else did, and he saved my pig. His heart is the biggest I know — and that’s saying something because I thought no one could beat me. But he did. And all…all he ever wanted was to be a hero, and he sure as heck is one.” Her grip on her brother’s hand tightens. “Grunkle Stan once told me that even when things do change, I’m lucky to always have my brother with me. And he’s right. So, thanks, Grunkle Stan.”

Dipper smiles at his sister as they walk back to their seats, their silence saying a million things at once. No one heard the things they thought, but they meant so much to those who did.

They all walk to the cemetery when it stops raining. Stan’s casket is lowered to the ground, and Mabel’s crying because Dipper’s crying and they’re an emotional wreck that needs sleep and the reassurance that their grunkle is in a much better place than they are. Everyone’s silent as it happens, all huddled under a tent, watching. Pacifica mourns the man who gave her shelter during the apocalypse, Lazy Susan mourns the man who bought her pancakes every Wednesday morning, and McGucket mourns the man who knew he wasn’t lying about the things he saw in secret. This is the last time they’ll ever get to see their grunkle’s body. Fingers shaking, Dipper squeezes his sister’s hand, who hugs him; she can’t bear to watch. Soos envelopes the two into a bigger hug.

He whispers, “It’s gonna be alright, dudes.”

Ford places a hand on Dipper’s shoulder. A weak smile isn’t enough to cover the pain for long, but it does, for now. Wendy comes over and ruffles Mabel’s hair, like old times to give comfort. It works a bit.

It’s hours later and the Pines family remain, even when everyone’s already left. They stare at the tombstone, the wet dirt, and the patches of grass that cover their uncle’s body. The pain will leave slowly, but it feels like it will last a lifetime. They’ll get through. They always do.

****

**STANLEY PINES—  
OUR HERO **

**Author's Note:**

> hmu at superishs.tumblr.com!!


End file.
